Pipe joint



June 26, 1923. 1,460,100

A.T.KUEHNER PIPE JOINT Filed April l2, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY! June 26, 1923. v y .1,460,100

l A. T. KuEl-nm-:Rv

PIPE JINT Filed April l2. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. 7. /wfw/n INVENToR.

' ATT ZRNEYJ June 26, 1923.

A. T. KUEHNER PIPE JOINT Filed April l2, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 i 'To all ilo/tom t may concern.'

Patented .lune 26, 1923.4

raamt PIVPE JOINT.

Application filed April 12, 1920.' Serial No. 373,381.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR T; citizen ot' the United States, residing at Ellrridge7 in the County of Howard and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe Joints, of which the 'following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved pipe joint especially adapted for flexible conduits and has as one or" its principal objects to provide a superior practical joint for use as a ypipe connection between a locomotive and its tender7 in the washout and blower lines of roundhouses, or in connection with other railroad equipment.

lThe invention has `as a further object to provide a joint which may, without the use ott a wrench or other auxiliarytool, be easily and quickly coupled or uncoupled.

A further object of the invention isfto provide a joint which will eliminate the use of threaded connections and wherein struc tural parts will be reduced to a minimum.

And the invention `has as a still further object to provide a joint which will depend ably maintain a fluid tight union and wherein Flow of iluid through the jo-int will'be unobstructed.

Other and incidental hereinafter.

in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the use of my improved pipe joint in conjunction with the hose connections beobjects .will appear tween a conventional locomotive and its tender, Y j

Figure 2 `is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken medially through the joint,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken at substantially right angles to Figure 2,

Figure le is a. plan view ot' the joint, Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the male and femalemembers of the joint in detail, f *i Figure 6 is an end view of the male inember` and Figure 7 is a side elevation showing a.

slightly modified form ofvgasket and mount ing therefor.

In carrying the invention into effec-t, my"

improved joint is formed with aV malemember having a heady 10 upon the inner end of which is formed a pipe or nipple 11 carrying an attaching plate 12. Leading through the head from the inner end of the nipple'll is,

KUEHNER,

as particularly shown in Figure 2, a passage .13 and formed in the opposite side walls of the head at the inner end of this passage are ports 14. These ports are disposed iny registering relation and seated in suitable grooves in the walls of said ports are flanged yieldable gaskets 15. rThe gaskets are preferably formed of rubber so that said gaskets may be readily flexed to engagethe lianges thereof in the grooves of the'port ifrE stares Aeraan trier..

walls7 it being observed that the outer edges of said flanges lie substantially lflush lwith ltheouter faces of the side walls of the head.

Between the ports, the head is formed intern nally with a spreader `16 projecting rearwardly in a4 direction across said ports. 'The spreader is substantially V-shaped in cross section and is designed to direct the fluid iiowing through the passage 13 througliboth of the ports.-

It is now to be observed that the head is i 'tapered longitudinally from itsbasetoward its outer end and is also tapered from its lower side toward its upper side. The head is thus provided withflat side faces 17 converging in two directions or, in other words,

converging toward the outer end of the head and also converging toward the upper side of the head.V Formedon the outer end of the head is a locking rib 18. served, this locking rib is tapered toward the upper side of thehead and, as particularly shown in Figure 2, is substantially rdove-tail j in cross section, the rib beingformed at its side edges with vertical beveled ylocking` shoulders 19. Formed on the base of `the head at opposite sides thereof are forwardly directed locking flanges 20, the `free end por-.j

tions of which lie'inspaced relation to the sides of the head andare undercuty to provide j confronting vertical shoulders `21 conveiggfing` toward the forward edges of i said flanges. Upstanding fronithe upper edge of the head are spaced lugs 22 and pivoted between these lugs is a clamping bolt 23 upon whichis adjustable a. nut 24;. Loosely fitted upon the bolt isa clampingplate 25 and bearing between this plate andthe nut is allelic-al Swine 26 Surrounding the, bolt! .Thliirf' ticularpurpose. of theJv clamping :boltwith its Serine' and plete will presently appear Formed to mate with the `male member is the female member oit the joint. rlfhis female ineinber is formed with a lbody 27 branched to provide spaced 'forks QSand exf As will be olo-` l tending from the body is a reduced nipple" being Imountedin a `similar manner.

29 dening a shoulder 30 at the inner end of said nipple. As particularly .shown in Figure 3, an annular groove 31 1s formed at the base of this shoulder. Leading 4through the forks 23 from the nipple 29 are passages 32 at the inner ends of which are ports 33 through the confronting side walls of saidv forks. The walls of these ports are grooved in a manner similar to `the walls of theports 14 to receive the flanges of yieldable gaskets 34, these gasketsbieing identical with the gaskets 15 ad s will -now be observed, the. inner side walls ward their inner ends, these faces beingA ofthe forksI are formed with flat faces which converge toward the upper side of the joint member and which also converge todesigned to mate with and lit the sloping lfaces 17 of the head 10 of the'male member.

Formed between the forks yat the inner ends of the faces 35 is afsooket 36 for receiving the locking rib 18 of the head `,of the male member. As particularly `shown in Figure l2, the side walls ofthis socket are formed with beveled shoulders 37 to coact with the A'shoulders 19 of said rib and, as particularly brought ,out in Figure 5, the shoulders 37 converge toward their upper ends to conform tov the `vertical inclination of the shoulders 19. Formed on the forward ends of the forks 28 are locking flanges 38. These p flanges are designed to engage beneath the flanges 2O of the ymale'inember and are un-r dercut at their outer sidesto provide beveled shouldersf39 to coact Vwith the shoulders 21 of' the flanges 20.. Rigidly coupling the f forks 23 lat theirupper sides .is an upstand- As .will nowy be readily ,understood in view of the preceding description, the female member may be fitted downwardly over the head ofthe male member to engage the. head, between the forks 2.8, and bring the sloping faces 17 of the head 10 into coacting relation with thesloping faces 35 of said forks when said faces will wedge for tightly locking the members of the joint together. Co-

incidently, Ythe locking rib18 will be re-` ce'ived within its socket 36 so that the shoulders 1,9 of said rib will be brought into .oacting relation with the shoulders 37 of said socket while the lflanges, 38 upon` the forks'28 will engage `beneath the flanges 2O so thatA the shoulders 39 of the former I flanges will be brought into coacting relation with the. shoulders 21. members are thus engaged, the ports 14 of lWhen. the ointV the head of the male member will, asvshown in Figure 2, register with the ports 33 of the forks of the female member so that the gaskets15 will coact with the gaskets 34 to provide sealed joints between said ports and, as will be particularly observed, flow when this plate clearsv the shoulders, it will f be'moved by the spring 26 to seat flat againstthe wall 4l of the bridge confronting the shoulders.y The plate will, therefore, ooact with the shoulders for locking the clamping bolt against rearward swing- Til ing movement and will coact with the bridge under the influencefofthe spring to `yieldably wedge the forks of the female member downwardly over the head of the male member in binding contact therewith. The slop-I l ling inner side faces of the forks will accordingly be yieldably held to bind downwardly against the sloping outer side 'faces of the head while-.thev shoulders 37 of the socket 36 will be Vyield'ably urged to coact -i with the shoulders l19 `of the locking rib for 'drawing the forks of the female member inwardly over the head and yieldably maintaining the sloping faces of the forks in longitudinal binding engagement with the sloping faces of the head. At the same time, the shoulders 39 of the flanges 38 of the forksy will bind againstthe shoulders21 of the locking flanges 2O for maintaining the free ends of the forks behind the registering ports of the joint in wedging engagement withI the side faces of the head 10 so as to obviate any possibilityof spreading off-the forks. Constantly sealed joints between the gaskets of the members will thus be maintained and, of course, the tension of the spring 26 may be readily varied by adjusting thenuts 24. yIt will Vaccordingly be seen that I provide a highly effective type of joint and, as will be observed, the members of the joint may be readily connected or disconnected without the necessity for the use of a wrench or any other tool, this feature being highly advantageous in rail'- road practice. f

In Figure 1 of the drawings, I lhaveA shown the use of the present type of joint yin connection with a' locomotive and its tender.'

The locomotive and tender 'arecOnventionally shown and are indicated at 44 and 45 respectively. Beneath the rear end ofthe locomotive is mounted a-brac-ket 46 and beneath the forward end of the tender is mounted a similar bracket 47. As is well known. connections for several pipes must be `made between a locomotive and its tender.`

f I accordingly `employ a suitable number of s hose.

flexible hose lengths 48 and in conjunction with each length of hose `l employ a pair of joints of the present type. Thel male members of the joints are bolted or `otherwise Secured -by their plates 12 to the brackets 4G and 47 respectively while the female members of the joints arev connected to the ends of the hose, one of' the latter members being mounted at each endof `each length of hose are fitted over the nipples 29 to abut the shoulders 30 when clamping` collars are, as clearlyl seen in YFigure l, engaged around the end portions of the hse in such manner that these collars will act to `press the rreadily engaged with or disengaged from the male oint members upon the bracket 47. Thus, the engine may be readily disconnected from its tender while the hose may be allowed to remain either upon the locomo tive or upon the tender, as may be desired.

In Figure 7 of the drawings, l have illustrated a slight modification of the `invention which relates particularly to `the type `of gasket employed and its mounting. A pliable gasket, as illustrated in connection with the preferred construction, cannotbe succes.- sively employed where steam flows through the joint. Accordingly, in this modified structure, I provide arigid gasket provided at its outer end with an annular flange 49 and at its inner end with oppositely disposed arcuate lips 50. The walls of the ports 14 and 33 are each formed withy oppositelv disposed grooves 51 to freely receive the lips 5() therethrough and, as will be observed, these grooves define intermediate oppositely disposed ribs 52. At the outer end of each of said ports in an annular seat 53. Thus, by bringing the lips 50 ofthe gasket into register with the grooves 5l, the gasket may be fitted in place to seat the iange 49 thereof'in the seat 53 when, by rotating the gasket, the lips 50 may be moved into coacting relation with the ribs 52 for locking the gasket in place. However, the gasket may, when desired, be readily removed to permit of renewal. Any approved material may be employed in forming the gasket but preferably the gasket is constructed of hard rubber.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: j

1. A pipe joint including a male member, and a female member straddling the male To accomplish this, the ends of the member and mating therewith, the members being provided with coacting wedging faces, and yieldable means acting upon the members at' substantially right angles to the length thereof for urging said faces into Wedging engagement.

2.r A pipe joint including a male member, a female member straddling the male menty ber and mating therewith, yieldable means acting at substantially right anglesto the length of the members urging the female member into wedging-engagement with the male member.

3. In apipe joint, the combination of a male member having a head tapered in vertical transverse section, a female member straddling the head and mating therewith, andyieldable means coacting between ythe members for urging the members in opposite4 directions into wedging engagement with each other.

4. A pipe joint including a male member having ahead, a female member having forks straddling the head and mating there with, and means coacting between the members locking the free end portions of said forks against spreading.

5. A pipe joint including a male member having ahead gradually tapered in thickness toward its outerend and provided with a locking rib,` and a female member having a fork stradidlinqthe headto mate there# `with and provided with stationary shoulders coacting with said rib for locking the members .against longitudinal separation, vthe members being separable by moving one member laterally of the other.

6. A pipe joint including a male member having a head gradually tapered in thickness toward its outer end and provided with a locking rib formedwith beveled shoulders and a female member having forks straddling the head to mate therewith and provided with stationary beveled( Ashoulders coacting with said first mentioned shoulders for locking the members againsty longitudinal separation, the members being separable by moving one `member laterally of the other.

7. A pipe joint including male member having a head and formed with lateral flanges, and a female member having forks straddling the head to mate therewith and provided with Iflanges coacting with said first mentioned flanges for locking the free having a head tapered in cross section, a

female member having forks straddling saidl head andr mating therewith,v and `a spring pressed. clamping plate coupled with the Y male member and acting against the female member at substantially right'angles to the length of the members forurging said forks into wedgingreiigagement -witlrthe head.

'10. A pipe joint including a inaleinem coupling the forks of thefeniale member and provided. with a4 shoulder, and a spring pressed clamping plate slidable upon the bolt to coact with the bridgebehind said shoulder whereby the forks of the female member will f be urged into wedging engagement with the vhead of the male member while said bolt will be locked in active position.

11. A pipe joint including a male member tapered in cross section, a female member straddling the male member and mating therewith, yieldable means urging the female member into wedging engagement with the male member, and means for adjustal'ilyV 4 j to mate therewith and one` provided' with a tensioning said rst mentioned means.

12. A pipe joint including a male mem- *ber having ahead provided. with ports in opposite "sides thereof, and a female meniber having forks straddling said head to mate therewith and provided with' ports registering with saidn first mentioned ports.

13. A pipe joint including a male niem ber having a head provided with ports in opposite sides thereof and form-ed internally with a spreader between said ports, anda female member having' forks straddling said head to mate therewith and provided with ports'registering with said first mentioned ports.

14. A pipe joint including a male inem# ber having a longitudinally extending head i v v having a head, a female' memberl having forks straddling the head and mating therewith, and means locking the free end por? tions of said forks against spreading. j

16. Av pipe joint'including a lmale member liaving'a head tapered in'vertical transverse section and gradually reduced inthickness toward its outer end, a female member straddling the head of the male member `and mating therewith, and stationary means carried bythe members securing vsaid members against longitudinal separation, the inembers being separable by moving one 'memberl laterally of the other. j

17. A pipe joint including a male member having ahead provided with a passage opening through 011e side thereof. and a female member having forks straddling said head passage in communication with said first mentioned passage, the members being formed with stationary means interlocking for securing the members against longitudinal separation. j j

18. A pipe joint including a male member having a longitudinally extending head'Y ARTHUR T. KUEHNER. [11.51.] 

